"Ministry sends Grand Duke hotel pay dispute to Arbitration Council", 24 January 2020

The Labour Ministry has sent the dispute over unpaid wages and benefits between workers and the management of the shuttered The Great Duke hotel to the Arbitration Council after both sides could not come to an agreement.

Neang Sovathara, the council’s senior communications officer, said ... the ministry referred the dispute to it ...

“The Arbitration Council has received the case and will determine when to hear the case,” he added.

Ly Tayseng, a lawyer representing The Great Duke Company, said ... that both sides could not reach a settlement because the workers did not agree to the amount which the company offered to pay them regarding outstanding seniority benefits.

He said that the workers were also demanding compensation for being laid off after the company closed down the hotel due to financial problems.

... “In fact, the company wanted to settle the dispute as soon as possible but the workers were adamant about  getting a higher amount in seniority benefits and compensation,” he added.

Heng Sour, a Labour Ministry spokesman, said ... the ministry had to send the case for arbitration because both sides could not compromise on the payments.

Toch Kosal, a representative of the workers, said ... that the workers have been protesting outside the hotel for the unpaid wages and benefits ever since the company informed them it was closing down last month.

He said that more than a hundred workers will continue to protest daily until the company pays them their dues...